Asking religion in interviews?

[freetheyaz]

---

Members don't see this ad.

At a recent interview, things started off fairly well. We exchanged the usual small talk, then the mandatory ethical question, which I thought I answered ok. Following this, the interviewer asked me what religion I belong to. I was caught off guard (I was under the impression they were unable to ask this question), and answered that I was a catholic. He went on to tell me he was Muslim, and was a contributor to a local newspaper...his most recent article topic was about how wrong the pope was to make his anti-Muslim comments, and that he was a disgrace and should step down.

After that awkward mini-rant killed the flow of the conversation, the interview became a little different in nature. He asked if I would perform an abortion, and I told him it would depend on the situation...if the girl is underage, uninformed of options, a repeat offender, etc. I would have to advise her first to make sure she is making the right, informed choice and was legally allowed to give her own consent. He did not like my answer, and wanted just a yes or a no. He said he couldn’t judge based on my answer, but was looking for how I formulated my answer. I did not understand how there is formulation if he is looking for a simple yes or no.

Anyway, just wanted an opinion on asking religion in an interview. I am considering an email to the dean just to say it did not seem appropriate (I have confirmed with other interviewers at my institution that they are told not to ask), and certainly made the whole tone awkward…especially since he clearly had a problem with what the leader of my religion recently said. I just think he should not be allowed to ask that question in future interviews, so perhaps an email would help that.

 

[khadija]

Actually, they are allowed to ask u a lot of things at a med school interview that they can't ask at a job interview. For example, they can ask about ur religion, ur marital status, ur age, etc. You have to be careful how u answer. Don't hide from ur views, but don't get defensive with ur answers.

 

[ADeadLois]

At a recent interview, things started off fairly well. We exchanged the usual small talk, then the mandatory ethical question, which I thought I answered ok. Following this, the interviewer asked me what religion I belong to. I was caught off guard (I was under the impression they were unable to ask this question), and answered that I was a catholic. He went on to tell me he was Muslim, and was a contributor to a local newspaper...his most recent article topic was about how wrong the pope was to make his anti-Muslim comments, and that he was a disgrace and should step down.

After that awkward mini-rant killed the flow of the conversation, the interview became a little different in nature. He asked if I would perform an abortion, and I told him it would depend on the situation...if the girl is underage, uninformed of options, a repeat offender, etc. I would have to advise her first to make sure she is making the right, informed choice and was legally allowed to give her own consent. He did not like my answer, and wanted just a yes or a no. He said he couldn’t judge based on my answer, but was looking for how I formulated my answer. I did not understand how there is formulation if he is looking for a simple yes or no.

Anyway, just wanted an opinion on asking religion in an interview. I am considering an email to the dean just to say it did not seem appropriate (I have confirmed with other interviewers at my institution that they are told not to ask), and certainly made the whole tone awkward…especially since he clearly had a problem with what the leader of my religion recently said. I just think he should not be allowed to ask that question in future interviews, so perhaps an email would help that.

The question is, do you feel as though the interviewer was being prejudicial after you answer that you were a catholic? That's really the key. It's one thing if it made it "awkward" (I mean, what interview isn't).

An e-mail to the dean (of admissions) sounds like a good idea. Make sure you make it clear that (1) you felt the interviewer was being prejudicial as a result of the question about your religion (if that was the case) and (2) you're writing to inform him/her, not complaining about your interview performance.

 

[HumbleMD]

The question is, do you feel as though the interviewer was being prejudicial after you answer that you were a catholic? That's really the key. It's one thing if it made it "awkward" (I mean, what interview isn't).

An e-mail to the dean (of admissions) sounds like a good idea. Make sure you make it clear that (1) you felt the interviewer was being prejudicial as a result of the question about your religion (if that was the case) and (2) you're writing to inform him/her, not complaining about your interview performance.

👍 Seconded. Sounds like good advice. As future advice for others, I've heard that if you feel an unfair question was asked, your supposed to inform the admissions office or dean immediately, rather than later. I would definitely say that him expressing anti-Catholic remarks during an interview, especially considering you had just attested to being Catholic, would be considered prejudicial. What school was this at (PM me if you don't feel comfortable posting)?

On a related note, I get awfully annoyed with people's "anger" over the whole pope situation in him saying the Muslim religion is violent. So, what was the public response? Why riotous violence, murders, and the burning of effigies. My, the pope was so off-base...

 

[baylormed]

On a related note, I get awfully annoyed with people's "anger" over the whole pope situation in him saying the Muslim religion is violent. So, what was the public response? Why riotous violence, murders, and the burning of effigies. My, the pope was so off-base...

That was the most ironic part of all. Way to prove him wrong!

 

[Ari Gold]

On a related note, I get awfully annoyed with people's "anger" over the whole pope situation in him saying the Muslim religion is violent. So, what was the public response? Why riotous violence, murders, and the burning of effigies. My, the pope was so off-base...

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." Are you in the running to be the new pope? I would quit watching U.S. news so religiously or atleast realize that they don't show the entire picture. Were there people that took it too far? Yes, obviously there are people that are downright pissed off and did stupid things to rspond...but the overwhelming majority of the billion Muslims were non-violent and wrote letters and protested to higher powers. Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well? Would you take that as the Christian religion's response? Is the Christian religion inherently violent? Stupid people exist everywhere, when you don't realize that its a small minority and shouldn't be a representation then you may be apart of them.

I've said my peace, you can reply with a smarta$$ comment if you want.

 

[babaghannough]

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." Are you in the running to be the new pope? I would quit watching U.S. news so religiously or atleast realize that they don't show the entire picture. Were there people that took it too far? Yes, obviously there are people that are downright pissed off and did stupid things to rspond...but the overwhelming majority of the billion Muslims were non-violent and wrote letters and protested to higher powers. Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well? Would you take that as the Christian religion's response? Is the Christian religion inherently violent? Stupid people exist everywhere, when you don't realize that its a small minority and shouldn't be a representation then you may be apart of them.

I've said my peace, you can reply with a smarta$$ comment if you want.

it's good to know there are still some sane, unbiased people in the world. thanks for being open-minded, it's in short supply these days.

 

[HumbleMD]

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." Are you in the running to be the new pope? I would quit watching U.S. news so religiously or atleast realize that they don't show the entire picture. Were there people that took it too far? Yes, obviously there are people that are downright pissed off and did stupid things to rspond...but the overwhelming majority of the billion Muslims were non-violent and wrote letters and protested to higher powers. Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well? Would you take that as the Christian religion's response? Is the Christian religion inherently violent? Stupid people exist everywhere, when you don't realize that its a small minority and shouldn't be a representation then you may be apart of them.

I've said my peace, you can reply with a smarta$$ comment if you want.

No "smarta$$" comments, but this could be some good dialogue. I often think about violent Muslim fundamentalists in terms of, say the KKK which claims to be doing acts of hate and violence in the name of God (or any of our other dirty pasts - Inquisition, Crusades, etc.). You are 100% correct that they do not represent the whole. Where I start to understand them in different terms, however, is where the majority's alliances lie in each case. In the case of the KKK for instance, the majority of Christians would say they are entirely off base, and given the choice between keeping a peaceful Muslim in the country versus keeping a KKK "Christian" in the country, the majority of Christians would choose the peaceful Muslim. I do see a divide, however, in discourse over recent terrorist events and acts of violence in the middle east. It's clear that given a choice between keeping a peaceful Christian in middle eastern country versus a radical Muslim, the Muslim would win out every time and the Christian would be deported (if not worse).

 

[MasterMD]

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." Are you in the running to be the new pope? I would quit watching U.S. news so religiously or atleast realize that they don't show the entire picture. Were there people that took it too far? Yes, obviously there are people that are downright pissed off and did stupid things to rspond...but the overwhelming majority of the billion Muslims were non-violent and wrote letters and protested to higher powers. Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well? Would you take that as the Christian religion's response? Is the Christian religion inherently violent? Stupid people exist everywhere, when you don't realize that its a small minority and shouldn't be a representation then you may be apart of them.

I've said my peace, you can reply with a smarta$$ comment if you want.

thanks for pointing out those numbers.. people really don't realize that if the "Muslim world" went into a violent uproar like that, the world would practically end... a billion people is a lot... most people who reacted violently are extremists who the rest of the Muslim world are ashamed of anyway...

 

[Ari Gold]

It's clear that given a choice between keeping a peaceful Christian in middle eastern country versus a radical Muslim, the Muslim would win out every time and the Christian would be deported (if not worse).[/QUOTE]

That is absolutely not true. As an ann arbor student I which you could have attended juan coles lecture on 9/11 about u.s. seccuess and failures in the war on terror. you can access his blog or website he tells it like it is and is very blunt about the facts. Muslims HATE Al-Quaida, Hate Bin-Ladin. The greatest allies the US has are countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the region. There are only a couple countries that actually are "muslim" and have cold relations with the US. And anyone I know in exchange programs or volunteer internships there will tell you that they are welcome and would go back. There are places that are not friendly of other religions which works with your analogy, but they (again) do not represent the MIddle East.

 

[HumbleMD]

It's clear that given a choice between keeping a peaceful Christian in middle eastern country versus a radical Muslim, the Muslim would win out every time and the Christian would be deported (if not worse).[/QUOTE]

That is absolutely not true. As an ann arbor student I which you could have attended juan coles lecture on 9/11 about u.s. seccuess and failures in the war on terror. you can access his blog or website he tells it like it is and is very blunt about the facts. Muslims HATE Al-Quaida, Hate Bin-Ladin. The greatest allies the US has are countries like Saudi Arabia and others in the region. There are only a couple countries that actually are "muslim" and have cold relations with the US. And anyone I know in exchange programs or volunteer internships there will tell you that they are welcome and would go back. There are places that are not friendly of other religions which works with your analogy, but they (again) do not represent the MIddle East.

But why must I search out a blog to find out about the overall opinion of Muslims on Al-Quaida? Why aren't the leaders shouting it from the rooftops?

 

[Ari Gold]

But why must I search out a blog to find out about the overall opinion of Muslims on Al-Quaida? Why aren't the leaders shouting it from the rooftops?

They are, and they have been. So just because you haven't seen or remembered it that means they arent? if you havent figured it out by now, the American news isn't the best way to get foreign information, try BBC if you really care. You are just assuming that they are for Al-Quaida, why would you do that??? Name me one time when you definatively had something that said this. People are just too lazy to actually know, it is obvious that they are against killing of innocent people. They have said this after 9/11 and for 5+ years, so excuse me but just because you aren't listening doesn't mean no one is speaking.

 

[wolfram241]

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." Are you in the running to be the new pope? I would quit watching U.S. news so religiously or atleast realize that they don't show the entire picture. Were there people that took it too far? Yes, obviously there are people that are downright pissed off and did stupid things to rspond...but the overwhelming majority of the billion Muslims were non-violent and wrote letters and protested to higher powers. Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well? Would you take that as the Christian religion's response? Is the Christian religion inherently violent? Stupid people exist everywhere, when you don't realize that its a small minority and shouldn't be a representation then you may be apart of them.

I've said my peace, you can reply with a smarta$$ comment if you want.

Keep telling people who you really are and what you believe. I love it!

 

[foofish]

Actually, they are allowed to ask u a lot of things at a med school interview that they can't ask at a job interview. For example, they can ask about ur religion, ur marital status, ur age, etc. You have to be careful how u answer. Don't hide from ur views, but don't get defensive with ur answers.

I don't think this is actually true--in fact, at my undergrad's med school interview workshop we were specifically told that interviewers are not supposed to ask about religion, family plans, etc...and that some do and it's not a problem, but if you feel it was inappropriate that it's definitely within your rights to inform the school.

To the OP: funny, I actually had an awkward (in the I'm-thinking-of-writing-the-Dean sort of way) religion moment, where the interviewer was actually put off because I'm *not* Catholic. (He had assumed I was because of my last name--which he just came out and *said*--and that I didn't fit his stereotyped notions seemed to affront him somehow....)

 

[HumbleMD]

They are, and they have been. So just because you haven't seen or remembered it that means they arent? if you havent figured it out by now, the American news isn't the best way to get foreign information, try BBC if you really care. You are just assuming that they are for Al-Quaida, why would you do that??? Name me one time when you definatively had something that said this. People are just too lazy to actually know, it is obvious that they are against killing of innocent people. They have said this after 9/11 and for 5+ years, so excuse me but just because you aren't listening doesn't mean no one is speaking.

I should get back in the habit of checking BBC news...

If you read my earlier post, I was not trying to say they were "for Al-Quaida" but the point was that it was difficult to find that they were "against Al-Quaida."

Crap now you've go me "us/them-ing."

 

[Chuckwalla]

That was a BS move on the interviewers part. He has no right to ask you about your religion or insult it. Would you have ever imagined insulting a Muslim leader to him? Of course you couldn't. Even though I am a Christian I would be saying the exact same thing if the roles were reversed and Christian insulted a Muslim.

I also agree the abortion question was garbage. There are many questions that cannot be answered with a yes or no and that was one of them.

I wish you all the luck in the world if you write a letter to the dean which I think you should do. That man should does not deserve to interview one more applicant, not only did he discuss religion but he insulted yours. There are many places to talk about religion, medical school interviews are not one of them.

 

[jbrice1639]

Crap now you've go me "us/them-ing."

i'd just like to point out that "us" and "them" are harmless pronouns. the obsessively PC have somehow turned these words into racial/prejudicial/evil words with all sorts of connotations, but they are simply pronouns. they carry no other meaning. us is a group in which i belong. them is a group in which i do not belong. end of story.

 

[muireinin]

the quote that was so offensive to Muslims was taken out of context in order to 'stir the ****.' whole message the Pope was trying to send was about the peaceful understanding between Catholics and Muslims. also, his Holiness even apologized for the way his remarks were taken. here's the text of his original speech so you can see what i mean.

 

[Ari Gold]

I should get back in the habit of checking BBC news...

If you read my earlier post, I was not trying to say they were "for Al-Quaida" but the point was that it was difficult to find that they were "against Al-Quaida."

Crap now you've go me "us/them-ing."

to humor you i did a google search that according to the website took 0.43 seconds and found this as the first link http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm
it is a good summary of all of the official statements condeming the attacks and the beliefs of those who condemn them. I would not say that was difficult if people actually kept their eyes out. I think your problem is more with the media and less with the leaders themselves.

 

[HumbleMD]

to humor you i did a google search that according to the website took 0.43 seconds and found this as the first link http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm
it is a good summary of all of the official statements condeming the attacks and the beliefs of those who condemn them. I would not say that was difficult if people actually kept their eyes out. I think your problem is more with the media and less with the leaders themselves.

Ironhead, please quit living up to your screen name. I'm trying to have a positive dialogue here rather than a religious debate. Apparently you're not capable of the former. "My problem" seems to be shared with a whole smattering of Americans. Snapping at the ones who seek to understand it more is not going to get you anywhere.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

ANNNNNYYYYYWAY, back to the OP's original question. I attended a premed meeting which had a panel of nearby med school deans in the spring. One of them told us about his experiences with asking an applicant about religion, and the applicant did not get in, and threatened to sue the dean.

He had no case because he had written about religion in his personal statement, and thus any questions were warranted. If you put it in your app, then it's fair game cuz you put it out there first. OP, did you mention religion in your app?

And even if you didn't, well it sounds like you held your own anyways. I had an interviewer ask me about abortions, treating Muslim extremists, lying to HMOs, etc. Fact of the matter is that those issues are pertinent, and as for the religion questions, you will in the future have to handle patients that are less than tolerant or somewhat belligerent or at the least biased, but judging from what you state your reaction was, I think you did fine.

Unless you REALLY feel like he was about to launch a jihad on you I'd refrain from courting the dean...

 

[HumbleMD]

ANNNNNYYYYYWAY, back to the OP's original question. I attended a premed meeting which had a panel of nearby med school deans in the spring. One of them told us about his experiences with asking an applicant about religion, and the applicant did not get in, and threatened to sue the dean.

He had no case because he had written about religion in his personal statement, and thus any questions were warranted. If you put it in your app, then it's fair game cuz you put it out there first. OP, did you mention religion in your app?

And even if you didn't, well it sounds like you held your own anyways. I had an interviewer ask me about abortions, treating Muslim extremists, lying to HMOs, etc. Fact of the matter is that those issues are pertinent, and as for the religion questions, you will in the future have to handle patients that are less than tolerant or somewhat belligerent or at the least biased, but judging from what you state your reaction was, I think you did fine.

Unless you REALLY feel like he was about to launch a jihad on you I'd refrain from courting the dean...

It still doesn't seem okay. Could you imagine if a white interviewer turned to a Persian applicant and asked them if they were Muslim, and then asked them if they were a terrorist? It would be all over the news...

 

[Misfit!]

these kind of 'intrusive' questions/comments are what non-white, non-Christian Americans have to deal with on a daily basis.

Sucks, doesn't it?

 

[Ari Gold]

Ironhead, please quit living up to your screen name. I'm trying to have a positive dialogue here rather than a religious debate. Apparently you're not capable of the former. "My problem" seems to be shared with a whole smattering of Americans. Snapping at the ones who seek to understand it more is not going to get you anywhere.

Actually, you stated that you had difficulty finding the religious leaders speaking out against Al-Quaeda. So you presented a problem. So instead of saying 'HumbleMD's problem' I used the pronoun 'your,' why that offends you I do not know... as a previous poster had stated you seem to have a phobia about specific pronouns. Aside from that I appreciate your positive dialogue.

 

[goodlookinrebel]

Hey I love the middle east as much as the next guy, but lets not bull chip ourselves into denial abou the violent anti-semitic\western\christian leanings of the majority of the Muslim world. The middle east is not the happiest place on earth, and there is a reason why poeple like Daniel Pearl's executioners are never brought to justice, and there is a reason that there has been six Arab-Israeli wars and countless geurilla battles since 1948.

I understand that I am capable of discriminating against someone based on certain pieces of info(such as religion or politics), and that is why, if I was ever doing med school interviews, I would be fair and proffesional enough to avoid those topics. He knew full well that he would un-ethically discriminate against you based on your answer, and he asked anyways. I say complain so that no other student is discriminated against.

 

[HumbleMD]

these kind of 'intrusive' questions/comments are what non-white, non-Christian Americans have to deal with on a daily basis.

Sucks, doesn't it?

Precisely. I'm a strict believer of "2 wrongs don't make a right," however. Instead I believe in progress.

 

[freetheyaz]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I really think it has been bothering me enough where I have to say something to the dean just so my voice is heard.

ADeadLois I do think he was slightly prejudice after that question. Just the whole tone of the interview changed completely after that, and rather than a back and forth dialogue, it became Question-Answer-Question-Answer. Of course, it is impossible to prove, and could just be my perception, but either way I think it is worth mentioning.

foofish I was actually told the same thing...that interviewers are specifically told not to ask about religion. I confirmed this with an MD that I know who does interviews for the institution where I work. Your situation sounds similar to mine, if not the exact opposite. Are you going to write an email to the dean at that school?

Chuckwalla Glad you agree. Had the roles been reversed, and I insulted a Muslim leader (or admitted to writing an article against them), I would have just signed my own rejection letter.

Wish me luck, I am sending them an email.

 

[Ari Gold]

Hey I love the middle east as much as the next guy, but lets not bull chip ourselves into denial abou the violent anti-semitic\western\christian leanings of the majority of the Muslim world. The middle east is not the happiest place on earth, and there is a reason why poeple like Daniel Pearl's executioners are never brought to justice, and there is a reason that there has been six Arab-Israeli wars and countless geurilla battles since 1948.
.

That reason would be the fact that Israel took land that didn't belong to them.

 

[MonkeyNuts!]

It still doesn't seem okay. Could you imagine if a white interviewer turned to a Persian applicant and asked them if they were Muslim, and then asked them if they were a terrorist? It would be all over the news...

Well that is definitely wrong. That's an ignorant statement and pretty offensive.

What the OP described was that the interviewer asked him about his religion, and then described his opinion on a current event. From OP's post, it doesn't seem like he was attacking OP in any way. It's like if someone asked if you were republican and then they state their opinion on the recent elections.

 

[estairella]

these kind of 'intrusive' questions/comments are what non-white, non-Christian Americans have to deal with on a daily basis.

Sucks, doesn't it?

Because America's majority is white and Christian. I don't see what the angst is all about... if you're Muslim and look Iranian, are you gonna be asked about it in Iran?

And for the record, I'm neither white nor Christian.

 

[Misfit!]

Hey I love the middle east as much as the next guy, but lets not bull chip ourselves into denial abou the violent anti-semitic\western\christian leanings of the majority of the Muslim world./QUOTE]

Wow, that is a very untrue, ignorant comment (along with the rest of your post). MAJORITY!? That's a very bold statement to make. But you know, many people in the rest of the world outside of the US (europe, south american, asia, etc.) consider the MAJORITY of Americans to be war-loving (and therefore violent), ignorant, and stupid, based on the policies and actions of a few people. Is that fair? That doesn't represent me and most of the Americans I know. Please watch your words.

 

[HumbleMD]

That reason would be the fact that Israel took land that didn't belong to them.

Let's not resurrect the Middle East Conflict on this already hot thread...
(and I'm not talking to just Ironhead, but everyone)

 

[goodlookinrebel]

Well you can also go by opinion polls and such. If you look at America you will see that the majority of Americans do not support the Iraq war and do not believe that our president is doing a fine job, so, if you trust opinion polls, then they tend to refute the pro war american stereotype. If you look at the opinion polls for the majority of muslim countries, well i am sure you can guess the numbers...they dont refute what I saying.

Hey I grew up with Iranian culture as my stepfather was Iranian. I loved him very much, but I can tell you that he was anti-western and very anti-semitic, which was kind of ackward for me as a jew. I love Iranians and I hope to visit the country soon, but that doesnt mean that I am in deneil about the regions problems. This is all off topic.

 

[Misfit!]

Let's not resurrect the Middle East Conflict on this already hot thread...
(and I'm not talking to just Ironhead, but everyone)

This thread now has nothing to do with medical school or the OP's question. Can people please stop using this as an excuse to middle east-bash, and get back to the topic or just drop it?

 

[notdeadyet]

On a related note, I get awfully annoyed with people's "anger" over the whole pope situation in him saying the Muslim religion is violent. So, what was the public response? Why riotous violence, murders, and the burning of effigies. My, the pope was so off-base...

Please. There were burnings, effigies and otherwise, bannings, and death threats when the friggin' Dixie Chicks said they were ashamed the president was also from Texas.

One can't ask folks not to judge Christians based on the actions of these losers if one turns around and judges Muslims based on the actions of their counterparts.

 

[notdeadyet]

Wish me luck, I am sending them an email.

Best of luck, freetheyaz. I personally think your interviewer overstepped his bounds. Let us know if you get any traction.

 

[estairella]

Yup, way to take a few isolated incidents and make a generalization as defining them of the "public response of the Muslim religion." .... Just because a few thousand people are on streaming video on CNN doesn't mean you can assume the entire Muslim world has to be doing the same thing.

A few thousand people is not "a few isolated incidents"!!!

You're right that you shouldn't generalize about a group based on extremists, but I can say this: on a numerical basis, there are more violent extremists who are Muslims than any other religion in the world.

Yes, it is dumb to respond with violence. And if there was a personal attack on Christianity do you not think that some hick-redneck evangellical Christians from the south wouldn't be tearing **** up as well?

I don't know what era you live in, but when Christians want to "tear **** up", they do it through the legal system, i.e. enforcing Ten Commandments, discriminating against gays and crap like that. Christianity is 150% the size of Islam in terms of sheer numbers, but I can tell you now you can publish a picture of Jesus being raped by a donkey without uprisings leading to deaths.

I'm an atheist... I don't have any bias for any religion. But if you want the facts about what the "worst" religion is (in terms of violence/member), then that's the facts.

 

[goodlookinrebel]

This thread now has nothing to do with medical school or the OP's question. Can people please stop using this as an excuse to middle east-bash, and get back to the topic or just drop it?

Agreed. I know that I am right, but I also know that it is of no use to try and convince someone of a differing opinion(at least not via online forums) who also knows that they are right.

 

[babaghannough]

has it ever occurred to us americans that american foreign policy helps create muslim terrorists? yes it has, but we simply overlook it and play the blame game. games are more fun than taking responsibility!